High Summoner Naruto
by Sharaksa
Summary: Spira has changed greatly since the time of Summoners. Ninja now rule the land; the Calm long gone in the face of war. Sin was forgotten... until Orochimaru found Yu Yevon's grimoire. The Aeons have decided to recreate a summoner in Uzumaki Naruto. R
1. What the Future Holds

Disclaimer-I own only the plot and the random villagers. FFX/X-2 and Naruto belong to their respective owners.

I hope you enjoy the story. Damn rabbit...

Full Summary- Spira has changed greatly since the time of Summoners. Ninja now rule the land; the Calm long gone in the face of war. Sin was forgotten... until Orochimaru finds Yu Yevon's grimoire. The Aeons have decided to recreate a summoner in Uzumaki Naruto. They send High Summoner Yuna to train him in the ways of a summoner, and hopefully vanquish Orochimaru before he becomes Sin. Mentor!Yuna Intelligent!Naruto. This is AU, obviously.

Chapter One – What the Future Holds

The Seer's Glass was one of the few artifacts powerful enough—and sentient enough—to survive Vegnagun's time in the Farplane. It was an ancient artifact, rumored to be the oldest in existence. It was also the most well known; all those who came the Farplane eventually went to visit it to see those on the other side. Most denizens believed that to be the only function of the Glass. Some (a very privileged few) knew that to be false, and had seen the true power of the Seer's Glass.

In times before dire circumstances, the Seer's Glass would show the many paths of the future.

* * *

Bahamut weaved through the crowd expertly, following the powerful call of the Glass. A cacophony of confused voices called out his name as he passed them and casually walked through the shield surrounding the Glass. He ignored as he came close, his breath fogging a miniscule part of the artifact. The barrier behind him clouded itself to prevent watching, though Bahamut didn't even notice. He felt the Glass's aura envelop him; it was relieved he had come so quickly. Images of many futures began to flit through the Glass, all of them clamoring for attention. The child-dragon reared back as he realized what the Glass was showing him.

'What is this!? That book should have been destroyed with Yevon! How?'

The images shifted slightly, showing an effeminate man with snake-like features digging through a pile of ancient tomes. A change in scene, and he was cackling madly with a cursedly familiar book in his arms. Glowing lines raced to connect with other swirling images, and Bahamut recognized the sign of a Fated Event. He cursed under his breath as terror bloomed in his heart.

'What can we do?'

The Glass seemed to shudder, before a new set of images began to dart across the surface. They were oddly cohesive, which terrified Bahamut even more. The Glass was never straight with the future telling unless things were truly _dire._ He watched as a nine-tailed fox attacked a village and fought a man on a giant toad's head. He watched as the man summoned Death, and sealed the fox within a newborn babe. The Glass seemed to place extra emphasis on the boy.

'Him, then? Interesting. When?'

Words scrolled across the surface.

_**October 10, 2337, Kyuubi sealed. May 17, 2350, Orochimaru finds Yevon. July 6, 2357, Sin is reborn.**_

'That is not long from now. You are late in your predictions.'

Vegnagun flashed before fading.

'So it did affect you. Perhaps this is good. The sense of urgency may allow for brilliance. Are you finished?'

The Glass flashed, and Bahamut felt the call dissipate into nothingness. He sighed. This would be difficult to arrange, but if luck were on his side, things would go as he planned. He turned and walked through the barrier. It faded into a light mist, then was no more.

A crowd of silent denizens stared at him. For a second, Bahamut felt himself falter under their expectant gaze, but he steeled himself and the moment passed. His voice seemed to echo around the glade as he spoke.

"The Seer's Glass has returned to normal. It turns out Vegnagun did affect it after all. Don't worry if you cannot see anything in the Glass. It should show the living in a few minutes. In the mean time, I wish to speak with my fellow Aeons, and with Yuna and her Guardians." The crowd parted as he passed, most staring as he and those he summoned left. For a rare moment, everything was quiet. Then, as if an invisible signal went off, the denizens became a mad mob as everyone tried to reach the Glass first.

Bahamut stopped at the entrance of a cave in the far corner of the Farplane and beckoned his companions inside. They went with reluctant confusion, which grew as they watched him secure the chamber within against prying eyes and ears. When he finished, he let his shoulders slump with exhaustion. Communing with the Glass was a draining experience. Combined with his position as 'leader' of the Aeon-fayth, he had a busy afterlife. Sometimes, he wished he had never volunteered to become a fayth… No. Now was not the time. He had a job to do, and he was the only one able to do it. He squared his small shoulders and turned to face his confused audience.

"The Seer's Glass has shown the future once again."

Yuna gasped and stepped back. She lost her balance on the slippery floor and was about to fall when Auron caught her. She gave him a thankful look. Bahamut grimaced; glad his face was shrouded by his hood. Yuna's last years had not been kind to her, and she was very frail even in death. He shoved the thoughts aside and focused on the crisis at hand.

"In 17 years time, a man named Orochimaru will find Yu Yevon's grimoire. Seven years after he finds it, he will use the same ritual Yu Yevon did and become the next Sin. If we do not do something, all the living beings are doomed."

"What can we do, Bahamut? The Farplane isn't touching the Living world anymore. We cannot travel there. The living have no knowledge of any resurrection spells, and even if they did, they wouldn't be strong enough to revive any of _us_," Valefor said, bitterness coloring her voice, "We can only watch, as we did with the Cataclysm, as we did with the Great War, and as we do with the Bijuu."

Bahamut sighed as the others agreed. He gave a sympathetic look to Valefor from under his hood. He felt the bitterness she did, but his could never measure to hers. Valefor was the most caring of the Aeons, as she had often been their first Aeon and had bonded accordingly. It tore her apart to be unable to do anything when the living suffered.

"This time is different. The Glass showed me our solution. In four years, the Nine-Tailed Fox will attack the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Their leader will seal it into a newborn to be named Naruto Uzumaki. If he is properly trained, he will be able to stop the newborn Sin."

Ifrit laughed. "And how will the boy know how? The living of this age have no knowledge of Sin, summoners, or how it was defeated. He won't know to do anything with his supposed power. You're losing it, Bahamut."

Bahamut growled and let his power show. The ghostly form of his Aeon materialized behind him. The smell of ozone filled the air.

"Do you doubt the Glass, Ifrit? Do you doubt my judgement? I have not led us astray with my plans before, fire dog. Remember? We are here only because of ME!"

Ifrit glared hotly at Bahamut. He let his own aura go, a fiery demon appearing behind him. Brimstone mixed with the ozone.

"I only think we should not pin our hopes on a boy not even born! The Glass shows only a vague solution at best, and most times, the means do not justify the end! I will not let one boy sacrifice himself for us all! I swore when you did so I would never let it happen again!"

Bahamut calmed instantly at his words. He sighed tiredly. Ifrit followed a strict code of honor, one that would not allow him to simply stand by while someone else was sacrificed. He understood where the hotheaded man was coming from.

"He is a sacrifice anyway Ifrit. He is a _Jinchuuriki_, one who gives their life to hold a demon at bay. He is a human sacrifice, better than becoming a fayth only because he will be able to move. I want him to be able to use the potential he will gain from the demon inside of him for good. He will do the world a great favor, and himself as well. The very people they protect shun the Jinchuuriki. They are viewed as demons themselves, and most never dispel the prejudice. I am giving Naruto a chance to become loved instead of hated."

Ifrit glared at him for a moment more before he restrained his power with a shake of his head. "Fine Bahamut. I will stand with you on this, but I will not like it."

Bahamut nodded, and turned to the other Aeons. Slowly, under his unnerving stare, they agreed. Auron cleared his throat quietly, gaining the attention of the room. "Ifrit raised a good point, Bahamut. How will the boy know what to do?"

The dragon smiled. "Simple. One of you will tutor him. All we need do now is convince Lord Death to allow one of you back to do so."

A chorus of 'WHAT!?' answered him. He continued as if he never heard. "Orochimaru seeks immortality, and when he is Sin, he will gain that and more. Lord Death hates nothing more than someone slipping his leash, so to speak."

"Indeed, little dragon."

The whole room whirled around to face the lord of the Farplane (1). His clawed hands stroked his chin lightly. "Tell me, little dragon, why should I allow one of my subjects to leave before their time, and in their current 'life' at that." He circled Bahamut like a hungry vulture. The child gulped quietly.

"A man by the name of Orochimaru—"

"I heard that already, and I have taken it into consideration. Give me another reason, little dragon."

"Well… I can only hope, my lord, that you do not wish the whole of the living realm to come here so quickly."

"I have taken the moral reasons into consideration, Bahamut," Said boy flinched at his name. Death was being serious, which was much scarier than him being a sadistic joker, "I wish to know what _you_ would offer me for this favor."

Bahamut considered his next words carefully. He knew that the world as they knew it was at stake: if Sin went unopposed, everything would die. Finally, after several tense moments, he made his decision.

"I would offer you my eternal service." Gasps echoed around him; Bahamut was a proud Aeon, and never bowed down to another. For him to offer himself like that…

"You are serious, aren't you, Bahamut? I can hear the sincerity in your offer." Death stopped for a moment, scrutinizing Bahamut very closely. He smiled then, a scary smile showing razor teeth usually hidden. "I will grant your favor, Bahamut, in exchange for dedicated service until she returns. I will restore the summoner Yuna to her prime, and she may choose one of your colleagues to be her Aeon. Do you accept?"

The chamber was floored. Yuna had tears in her eyes. She would be young and healthy again. She never thought she would be free of the disease that had followed her even into death. Bahamut nodded enthusiastically once he regained his composure. "I accept your offer humbly, my lord. If we may have time to prepare Lady Yuna?"

Death nodded and disappeared with a wave of his hand. Bahamut turned to the humans in the room. They were crowded protectively around Yuna, reassuring her with their presence. "Yuna, your task shall be an easy yet very difficult one…"

* * *

"My lord, Yuna is ready. She has chosen Valefor as her Aeon."

Death regarded Bahamut with a neutral eye. The normally proud dragon was near prostrating himself to make sure Yuna returned to the land of the living. What had he seen in the Seer's Glass? The future the Glass shown was clouded even to him. He resolved to ask while Bahamut was his to do with.

"Of course. Has she said goodbye to her loved?" Bahamut nodded, which called Death to smile. "Good. Be aware, once she has departed, you are mine for the duration. Take the time I will need to prepare the ritual to bid your own comrades a temporary farewell. You will not be seeing anyone for a while."

Bahamut's nod was stiff, and he left quickly to bid his farewells. He did not have long before Death called him, Valefor and Yuna to him. He bid one last farewell before they appeared before the lord. Death quickly began his ritual, starting first with restoring Yuna to her summoning years (coincidentally making her outfit match the time as well) before invoking a gate to the other side. He hadn't even broken a sweat, and he found that suspicious. He must be needed.

"I am needed. Yuna will appear when she is needed most as well, most likely at a later time than my own. Be aware, Lady Summoner, that the world you enter is _lethally_ suspicious of the new. Are you prepared?"

Yuna nodded, her face showing the very expression of determination she had worn when she faced Sin. "I am ready, my lord."

Death nodded and floated through the gate. Yuna gave the Farplane one wistful look before walking through as well.

* * *

And that is that. Next chappie up hopefully soon.

(1) - The Death here is the Death from the videogame, so imagine him, or Google image it or something.

Review please.


	2. First Steps to Destiny

Disclaimer-See Chapter One.

Chapter Two – The Cycle Begins Anew

The years passed, and the predictions of the Seer's Glass came to pass. On October 8, 2337, Kyuubi attacked Konoha in a blind rage. The battle raged for two days, and Konoha was brought to its knees. In a last ditch effort to save his village; the Yondaime Hokage battled the fox himself with the aid of the toad boss, Gamabunta. He managed to seal the demon fox within a newborn, and with his last breath, Yondaime named the infant Uzumaki Naruto.

For his dying wish, he wanted Konoha to recognize Naruto as a hero, and reluctantly, the newly reinstated Sandaime announced Naruto as the jailer of the Kyuubi. This was the proverbial salt in the wound to the people of Konoha; they had just lost their beloved leader, and the Kyuubi wasn't even dead for his efforts. The citizens young and old called for the child's immediate execution, and Sarutobi was forced to enact several laws to protect the child. He knew that incidents would still occur with the boy as a victim, so he secretly did his best to make sure these occurrences were at a minimum.

Thus did Konoha settle into a new era.

* * *

The barrier shuddered as the flow of power from its maker drained to nothingness. It was only a matter of time before it fell completely.

* * *

A young boy pouted quietly in his tiny bedroom. The room was a disaster, only slightly worsened by the private tantrum the boy had had a few days ago. Clothing in all states of wear covered the floor in little piles, with a few particularly smelly heaps serving as nests for moldy instant ramen cups and rotten fruit rinds. Scrolls of all sizes from a pinkie finger to the boy himself were also scattered. Several were damaged beyond professional repair let alone a small boy's endeavors, but there was evidence he tried. The door was thrown wide open, giving a view of an equally small and messy living room. The childish scribble of 'Uzumaki Naruto' was taped to the door for all who cared to see. Naruto scowled as he remembered why he was even home in the first place.

"Why can't I go to the Season Festival? All the other kids get to go… Stupid old man."

He huffed and fell back to stare at his pockmarked ceiling. Anyone who got a good look at him would have noticed tears in his eyes. 'I wish I were like the other kids. I wish I had parents and friends and that the village didn't hate me…' Naruto understood why he wasn't allowed at the festival. The Hokage had explained it to him a few days ago after Naruto had talked his ear off about the stuff he was going to do while he was there. It had been one of the most disappointing moments in his life. The only memory that made him sadder was when that white-eyed girl tried to be his friend and got punished. The blonde never saw her again. He hoped she was okay.

Naruto sniffled as his thoughts turned back to the festival. 'I really want to go. If only I were a ninja. Then I could disguise myself with a Henge and the villagers would never—'

"That's it! I could learn Henge! If that Itachi kid could do it, I can! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

* * *

As Naruto was learning the art of Henge from one of the many scrolls Sandaime had left him (that one in particular by accident), an odd phenomenon was taking place deep in the forest surrounding Konoha. An enemy shinobi from Iwa stumbled upon the phenomenon. His hardened attitude fell away at once as he screamed and ran. His screams of the Shikigami returning got him caught by a Konoha border patrol and sent to Interrogation. It also saved the traveler in the clearing the same fate.

Yuna stumbled as she walked out of the portal. She caught herself on a tree branch and straightened as the portal dissipated behind her. She looked back to see it gone. 'Nowhere to go but forward.' She squared her shoulders and focused. It had been decades since she had needed it, but Yuna knew that for the task ahead of her, she would need Nirvana. She reached out, but felt no answer. 'Were the Celestial Weapons destroyed in the Cataclysm?' Part of the confidence the ancient summoner felt died. She lowered her subconsciously raised hands and sighed.

"Well, I guess I do this alone then."

She chose a random direction (luckily the direction Konoha was in) and began walking. Suddenly what she needed to do felt a lot harder to accomplish. After a few minutes, Yuna felt a _thrum _and stopped as Nirvana materialized in front of her. Shock and relief overcame her as she stared at the staff, still as pristine as the day she set it aside. She grasped it reverently and smiled as the magic recognized her. She hugged it close then let it hang from her hand as she took sure steps towards altering the destiny of the world.

* * *

Naruto ran as fast as his little legs could carry him. He never looked back; he didn't need to, the yells of the drunken, angry mob chasing him told him all he needed to know. He was injured enough already; he didn't need to hurt more.

Shuriken and kunai flew past him and embedded themselves into trees, spurring the boy on. He ignored the branches lashing at him as he reached speeds most Chuunin would be hard to match. He knew what he was fleeing for: his life.

Slowly, the calls from the mob faded as Naruto made his way into the deep forest. Even the shinobi chasing him gave up after several hours. They realized the demon brat would never survive in the woods, and so left him to die of starvation and exposure. Naruto himself was exhausted beyond anything he knew. Every single inch of him hurt. His muscles were throbbing, his bones were aching, and even the hair on his head was giving him pain. He lay facedown in the dirt, trying to absorb more oxygen then a small child could. He faded in and out of awareness as he recovered. His young mind jumped to why he was out there.

Everything had been going perfectly. No one recognized him as he went around the fair having the time of his life. He got free food and juice, and even got to play a few games and win a prize: a worn looking stuffed wolf. If only that stupid ninja hadn't been there. The big meanie had seen through his disguise somehow and called him out. That got all the villagers riled up, and then he was running for his life. Naruto could only hope his wolf, secreted away in a crack in a wall with several other treasures of his, hadn't been found.

'Stupid… ninja. Ruining everything.'

"Oh!"

Naruto started, and tried to scramble to his feet and run. He crashed back to the ground after the first step, his little body too tired to move. The blonde scrunched up as best he could as he heard footsteps come closer.

'This is it… They found me, and now the old man isn't around to stop them!'

Naruto flinched as a soft hand caressed his cheek. He waited for the pain, but it never came. Slowly, he cracked one eye and peeked at a concerned face looking back at him. The face spoke a few words in a language he didn't know, and suddenly all of his hurts were gone. He opened his eyes wide in shock and stared at the strangely dressed woman standing over him.

"Who are you?"

Naruto congratulated himself on keeping the quiver out of his voice. The woman smiled kindly at him and said something he couldn't understand. The boy's face scrunched up as he tried to make sense of the gibberish.

"Huh?"

The woman sighed and repeated her gibberish slowly. Naruto couldn't make heads or tails of it. He looked her over and decided that she was a foreigner lost on the way to the village, if her clothes and gibberish were any indication. He nodded his head resolutely.

"Okay foreign lady, I can't understand you, but you can understand me, right?"

The woman nodded.

"Good. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, from Konoha. I'll take you there so the old man can help you. He knows lots of languages, and I'll bet he'll know yours."

The woman gave him a weird look and said more stuff with his name in the middle. Naruto shook his head in exasperation. "Yes, I'm Naruto. Now let's go."

The woman didn't budge though, and got another weird look on her face. Naruto thought she was thinking too hard, because his face looked like that too when he was thinking too hard.

"Lady?"

The woman pointed to herself with the pretty staff in her hand and said very slowly, "Yuna."

Naruto frowned.

"Yuna? Is that your name or something?"

The woman—Yuna—nodded happily. Naruto beamed at her; he had no idea why, it just seemed like the right thing to do. "Okay Yuna, let's get to Konoha!"

Several hours later, the pair found themselves in front of the great gate of Konoha. Yuna was amazed by the young boy's sense of direction. He had found his way back home from a mad dash into the woods. She wondered how he did it, and how he could talk so much about everything under the sun in such a short space of time. He was worse than Tidus or Rikku, or even both of them together! Naruto didn't notice his companion's relief. He was more focused on wondering why the gates were closed. 'The gates are never closed… Maybe if I yell at the doorkeeper, he'll look outside and let Yuna in. I can get in over the wall. Yeah.'

"Hey! Open up! We need to get inside!"

A genin looked out the window and saw the blonde pounding away on the huge gate with his tiny fists. The boy smiled and started for the Hokage Tower, thinking all the while of the fat reward he would get for telling the Hokage the Uzumaki kid was at the gate.

One of the chuunin on guard duty on the other side woke with a start and fell off his chair. He sleepily looked out the window to see what all the fuss was about and saw a foreigner with the demon brat. He thought for an instant of extending common courtesy to the stranger, but his hatred for the demon and all things associated with it won over and he settled down to return to his nap. He was about to fall into blissful sleep when the gates slammed open, shaking him out of his chair and onto the floor. He looked out again to see the Hokage standing angrily in the gates. The man's eyes widened and he nearly flew on his way out of trouble; the mission assignment officer was a good friend of his, and he just may weasel out of punishment.

The Hokage radiated power as he stood in the gateway. Naruto stared at the old man in awe; he had never seen him so strong! He felt determination well up inside of him as he thought, 'I want to be just like the old man when I grow up.'

The Hokage turned his eyes on Yuna. She cowered mentally under his gaze. It felt like a tiny Sin was staring her down, trying to kill her with his gaze alone. She held Nirvana close, prepared if not willing to use force if necessary.

"Who are you?"

She began to speak, but stopped at the confused look on his face. He raised his hands, did a short sequence of seals at lightning speed, and mumbled something under his breath. He repeated his question.

"I am Yuna. Are you the village chief?"

He nodded and answered in Spiran.

"You may call me Sandaime. Where are you from and what is your purpose here?"

That shocked Yuna to no end; how was he suddenly fluent in her dead language? She answered cautiously, wondering what else the elder was capable of.

"I am from the village of Besaid, an island village that was swallowed by the sea when I was younger. I am here to train Naruto."

The Hokage glanced suspiciously at Yuna before addressing the five-year-old loitering behind her.

"Naruto, return to your apartment. There are several trustworthy shinobi stationed there to guard you until we can discuss your actions today."

Naruto's lip trembled at the disappointment in the old man's tone. He hated failing him. He tried to plead his case.

"But—"

"_Now_, Naruto."

The child's shoulders slumped and he walked off. Sarutobi sighed silently. He would make it up to the boy later, after his punishment. For now, there were other matters to attend to. He gestured to the 'foreigner.'

"Come."

He escorted Yuna to his office. Once they were inside, he shuffled a few papers, discreetly setting off several charka beacons designed to call the ANBU at a moment's notice. They worked perfectly; by the time he sat in his chair, both ANBU and members of the Police Force surrounded the office, ready to kill the girl should she prove to have hostile plans of any kind. He laced his fingers together and gave Yuna an intent-filled stare. She appeared unaffected, which made him all the more suspicious.

Yuna was panicking under her serene face. While Bahamut had told her exactly what she should do in this situation, everything was happening too fast. She felt herself doubt the dragon's words, something she had never done before. The Hokage startled her out of her downward spiral when he finally spoke.

"Let me tell you about your situation, Yuna, if that is your real name. You are a foreigner from a town that has never existed on Konoha's record in the middle of Konoha, the most powerful of the Hidden Villages. You have been surrounded by more than a dozen elite ninja that have trained to kill first, question later. I would suggest you reveal your true home and purpose, lest I decide you aren't worth mercy."

Yuna's eyes widened in fear during his intimidating speech. She felt a lump in her throat at the end, and gulped to dislodge it. She bit her lip and nodded slowly, deciding to do as Bahamut said she should. She hoped with all her might the dragon would prove correct.

"Please listen to my whole story before passing judgement."

He nodded, and Yuna started her strange tale.

"It all started long, long ago, with a man named Yu Yevon…"

* * *

Sandaime contemplated the story Yuna told him. His rational side thought the whole thing impossible. Sin, aeons, a glass to see the future in a world of the dead? Unbelievable. It seemed like a story geared towards teenagers to keep them entertained. At the same time though… Yuna knew that Naruto was a Jinchuuriki. No one outside of Konoha knew that the Kyuubi wasn't dead, but sealed inside a baby. If she were from an enemy village, how would she know that? It was a point in her favor, along with the name of her country. Spira. It was mentioned in an ancient scroll he had read a long time ago. It was said to be the past form of the Elemental countries.

Sandaime felt the wish to believe her deep in his gut, and he followed it. It had never led him wrong on something so potentially important before. He sighed tiredly and wondered where his pipe was. He could use a good long smoke.

"Yuna, your story is one that is extremely difficult to swallow. It seems straight out of fairy tales, and yet… I believe you. How long do we have?"

Yuna felt relief blossom at his words, along with a small amount of embarrassment. She sent a silent apology to Bahamut for doubting him.

"There are eight years left until Orochimaru finds Yu Yevon's grimoire, which will happen no matter what we do. After that, we will have five years to stop him from becoming Sin."

"Then it is settled. You will tutor Naruto in the ways of a summoner alongside his ninja training. It is the wish of his father for Naruto to be a shinobi, and I promised I would make sure it happened."

Yuna nodded as he continued.

"Now, it is simply a matter of instating you as a citizen and teaching you the language," He said as he shuffled some more papers to signal the ANBU away. They already knew that revealing anything they heard in the Hokage's office was an offense punishable by death, so he wasn't worried about them. He hoped they would imprint that rule in the Police Force. He didn't need the Clans coming after him for helping Naruto over their own offspring. He pulled out a citizenship form and a pen and handed them to Yuna.

"Fill this out. I will be right back."

Sandaime made his way to his private suite within the tower. He entered and went to a suspiciously non-descript wall. To anyone else, that was all it would ever be. To a Hokage though, a small amount of blood revealed a scroll library filled with the most protected secrets of Konoha, including its 'famed' Forbidden Scroll.

Every Hidden Village had a scroll containing its most delicate secrets. What made Konoha different was the existence of two scrolls; a huge public one in his office scroll library filled with relatively dangerous jutsu and fake histories of the clans, and the real one, barely the size of his ring finger, hidden in a library that didn't exist. No one other than the Hokage knew about the real scroll. Sarutobi smiled as he slipped it into a hidden pocket in his sleeve. His teacher had had a stroke of genius when he came up with the idea.

Sandaime quickly returned to his office and found Yuna sitting patiently. The form was sitting on his desk, complete. He signed and sealed it, then filed it away. If luck was on his side, the Council wouldn't learn of it until the probationary period of three months had passed. He pulled out the scroll and opened it with a few drops of his blood.

"Never mention this scroll to anyone, or it will mean your immediate execution. Expose your arm."

Yuna nodded and did so. He grabbed a piece of imprinting paper and pressed it to a tiny seal in the scroll. The paper flashed, and he quickly transferred it to Yuna's upper arm. She yelped as the seal tattooed itself into her skin. Sarutobi removed the paper and undid the jutsu he activated earlier while she recovered from the shock.

"Say something."

"What did you do!?"

Sandaime smiled, "Perfect. You are now able to speak our language perfectly. That seal was essentially a gift of tongues. It will always be a part of you, and you will be able to understand and speak most if not all dialects you come across."

Yuna nodded in shock, "Th-Thank you, sir."

"It is no problem. Here," He wrote down Naruto's address and gave it to her, "This is where Naruto lives. Tell him you will be his guardian from now on and that you are trustworthy. Come back in two days so I may arrange where you two will live. Naruto's apartment isn't made for two people. I will have someone show you the way."

Sandaime called one the jounin waiting in the reception area of the tower. Nakata Akira walked in, looking rather confused.

"Akira, take Lady Yuna to Naruto's apartment."

Akira didn't like Naruto, but that was because he didn't like children and their antics in general. He had been on a mission when the Kyuubi attacked, and so didn't know the boy was the fox's jailer; none of those who knew were allowed to discuss it with him. He would deliver Yuna then report to the Hokage for a mission as if nothing had happened.

The jounin nodded and offered Yuna his arm. She took it cautiously. The pair walked out of the office, Yuna remembering to retrieve Nirvana from Sarutobi at the last moment. He smiled as he handed it to her. If everything went well, Minato's wishes would finally be realized.

* * *

There's Chapter Two. A note, if anyone knows Sandaime's official first name, or can confirm it is Sarutobi, please tell me so.

Next chapter, Yuna meets Naruto, Naruto gets punished by the Third, and summoner training begins!


	3. A New Beginning

Disclaimer — See Chapter One

A/N – I thank every reviewer and the people who added this story to their Favorites or Alerts. I'm also very sorry for the long wait. I lost interest for a while, but I will finish this tale. If anyone has any questions about the actions of the characters, or finds any mistakes, do tell me, ya?

A/N 2 – I will not be following a lot of the events after the Chuunin Exam, for various reasons. This is just to quell any responses of 'but it doesn't work like that.'

Chapter Three — A New Beginning

* * *

_Knock-knock-knock._

Naruto's head popped up and hit the sticky underside of his table. He yelped and rubbed at the hurt, grimacing when his hand came away covered in goop.

"Eww…"

_Knock-knock-KNOCK._

Naruto jumped again and crawled out from under his table. He started towards the door and froze at all the piles of dirty stuff everywhere. He gulped. 'If that's the old man, I'm dead! He told me to keep this place clean! Uh-oh…'

"U-Uh, just a minute!" The boy yelled, as he became a veritable whirlwind. Through a feat subconsciously using huge amounts of chakra, Naruto managed to make his apartment somewhat presentable in thirty seconds. He rushed to the door (he didn't know a dirty sock was clinging to the sticky stuff in his hair) and threw it open, expecting an annoyed and disappointed Hokage waiting for him on the other side.

Instead, he got a disdainful shinobi and a nervous foreigner. Naruto yelped again and fell on his butt. The motion caused the sock to dislodge and land on his nose. Naruto inhaled and made a face as he took the offensive sock and threw it into the closet by the door. The shinobi (a jounin, Naruto would later realize) sneered at him and disappeared, leaving the nervous lady—Yuna—behind. She bit repeatedly at her lip as Naruto stood. He gave her a curious look. Yuna decided to say something before he started questioning her.

"May I come in, Naruto?"

Naruto's jaw dropped and his eyes bugged out. His mouth tried and failed to work a few times as he found his voice again.

"You speak my language now!?"

Yuna winced at his loud question. The boy was loud enough to wake the dead—quite literally. She made a mental note to work on his volume.

"The Hokage taught me. He is very kind. May I come in?"

Naruto remembered his forgotten manners and stepped to the side, allowing her inside. Yuna walked in and wrinkled her nose as the stench of rotten food and unwashed clothing made itself known to her. Glancing at Naruto, she silently mouthed 'Esuna' and flicked her fingers. The putrid smell slowly dissipated, as if a breeze had taken it away. She sighed in relief while Naruto sniffed in confusion. He shrugged.

"I guess I just needed to open a window or something…"

Yuna found the main room and sat down on the moth-eaten couch. She frowned at the peeling wallpaper and yellowed ceiling. 'The Hokage was right. This is no place for a child.' Naruto splayed himself out on the floor across from her.

"So, Yuna-san, why are you here?"

Yuna looked at him for a moment and sighed heavily. How much could she tell him, a five-year-old boy? Bahamut had said nothing of what she should tell him should he question her reasons for being here, and though Naruto didn't mean the question in that respect, it still got her thinking. Bahamut had said her maternal instincts would be better than his intellect in these situations of sensitive nature, but she would have liked at least a suggestion.

Maybe she was taking this too seriously, but she would have to wing it.

"Well, Naruto, I am here to train and raise you."

His reaction was spectacular. His eyes lit up with hope and enthusiasm, and he grinned so wide she thought his head would split in two… for a second. Almost instantaneously, his expression blanked out. Naruto narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Why?"

His icy tone stabbed at Yuna's heart. What had this place done to him? 'No five-year-old should sound like that.'

"I Saw you."

The blonde arched his left eyebrow in confusion at the half-truth (though he didn't know that part).

"Saw? You mean when you saw me in the woods? Me hurting made you want me?"

"Even before that, Naruto. I can know the future under very certain circumstances. I know you are involved in my future. I know I supposed to train you in the forgotten art of summoning. Me meeting you in person only cemented that. I find you worthy of being a summoner."

Naruto looked at her intensely, as if trying to find the lie he knew was there. He glared at her harshly for a moment before he softened in desperation.

"Do you… Do you really mean it?"

Yuna smiled gently and nodded. Naruto stared at her for a while in amazement. Someone was there for him? Someone actually wanted to associate with him? Love him, even? It blew the child's mind. He decided then and there he would try. He would give this strange woman a chance. He launched himself at her and hugged her tight. He didn't want her to disappear, ever. He didn't want this to be a dream. Yuna vowed silently as she held him to keep Naruto as safe as she could until he could stand on his own.

Naruto pulled away after a moment, blushing in embarrassment. "Sorry." He said quietly. He mumbled something about going to bed before running off. Yuna sighed as she sat alone. She frowned. Naruto was much too light for his age. She had barely felt his weight when he leaned on her. She would have her work cut out for her to get him healthy so he could begin training.

Yuna lay down on the couch with another muttered 'Esuna' to clean it. Her makeshift bed was lumpy and uncomfortable, but Yuna enjoyed her first real night of sleep in a long time.

* * *

When Yuna woke the next morning, she panicked. Where was she? Where was Tidus, Rikku, everyone? Then she remembered; she was alive, in Konoha, and she had a little boy to train to fight against Sin. Yuna sat up slowly and sighed at her mussed hair and crumpled clothing. She got up and found the bathroom. She made herself presentable and made a mental note to get more clothing.

Yuna took the time to look around the apartment. 'It's in shambles. How could anyone live here, let alone a small boy?' She knew how though. Desperation would drive people to insane measures. She remembered her own search for Tidus. Before she lost herself completely in the memory her stomach growled, demanding food. Yuna chuckled and went to the kitchen to find something to make breakfast with.

What she found was excruciatingly disappointing.

The cabinets and little fridge were empty, save for four eggs, a carton of old milk, and what seemed to be an endless supply of ramen cups. 'How did I know they were ramen?' Yuna remembered the Hokage's spell, and chalked it up to that.

"Are you hungry, Yuna-san?"

Yuna whirled around in fright, one hand clutching her chest. She breathed a sigh in relief when it was only Naruto, fresh from bed with his hair even more chaotic than the day before. He seemed startled, staring at her with wide eyes. Did she not remember?

"Oh, Naruto, it's only you. I hadn't expected you to be so quiet when you woke up."

The scared look vanished, replaced by a proud yet sheepish expression. "Ano, I am going to be a ninja when I'm older. I have to be quiet, or I'll get caught."

'Ninja. That must be shinobi.'

Yuna and Naruto worked together to make breakfast; Yuna cooked the eggs after ensuring they were safe to eat, and Naruto heated up several cups of ramen. Yuna looked doubtfully at the steaming noodles for a moment before digging in. To her surprise, the noodles were delicious. Naruto grinned at the look on her face.

"A lot of people don't think it's good, but I know that ramen is the best food in the world!"

Yuna agreed with him wholeheartedly, causing the boy to smile. As the boy continued to eat, Yuna wondered why he was so trusting. Judging from the events in the forests, the majority of villagers harbored a great hatred for the boy; at least, what he represented. 'Perhaps the few bonds he has forged keep him innocent.'

"Yuna-san! Hey, are you listening?"

Yuna snapped from her thoughts and looked down at him. 'I'm still so used to time not mattering. I must learn to think on my feet again.'

"Yuna-san!"

"Yes, Naruto? I'm sorry, I was lost in thought."

Naruto pouted for a moment, and then brightened. "You said you were here to train me, Yuna-san. What were going to train me in?"

Yuna bit her lip as she tried to think of how to phrase it.

"Well, Naruto, I'm going to train you in the art of Summoning. It's a long forgotten art, and you will need to be healthy before we begin."

"But Yuna-san, I am healthy! And we already have summoning here! I've seen the old man summon monkeys before."

Naruto gesticulated wildly as he spoke, and Yuna shook her head with a smile before continuing, "You are not as healthy as you need to be, but a little time will fix that. The art of summoning that I will teach you is very different from the Hokage's technique. I'll show you some day soon; it's really too hard to explain."

Naruto pouted again, but quickly brightened. Yuna felt that the next years would be very… interesting.

* * *

Two days later, Naruto and Yuna moved out of the tiny apartment into one triple its size. There were several bedrooms, a large main area consisting of a living room, kitchenette and laundry cove, and two bathrooms. The owner of the building knew Naruto's secret, but he was also sensible; any way you put it, he thought, treat the kid right. If he were the demon, then he might be spared for his hospitality. If he were human, then he would one day have a happy shinobi in his building, as everyone knew the kid would be nothing but a ninja. A happy shinobi was good for security. With these thoughts in mind, he showed them one of the best apartments with a smile. Yuna had been glad that some of the villagers had seen past mob mentality.

If only the storeowners would be so intelligent. Most stores wouldn't allow Naruto in the premises, and those that did would overcharge him for unfit goods. Yuna grew sick of it after the third store and bought everything by herself and decided to make all the clothing Naruto would need. It would be a lengthy process, but it would be worth it, she thought.

The Hokage visited during those days and the ones after it. He questioned Yuna extensively about her world, summoners, and Sin. What he learned made him grim, but he always managed to smile when a little blond ball of energy came into the room. It saddened Sarutobi greatly to know that Naruto had to face Orochimaru, either as a creature of monumental power or as a Sannin. He had hoped his old student wouldn't bother with Konoha, but he knew inside that Orochimaru would want revenge for the slight of not being chosen as Yondaime.

Over the weeks that passed, Naruto quickly grew healthy enough to begin training, and Yuna quickly grew very nervous. What if she couldn't teach him? It was different teaching her companions how to heal a wound, or banish a poison. She would be instructing a child in the most difficult profession of her world. She knew in her heart that all would be well in the end (Bahamut had said she would succeed if she believed, and she didn't doubt him anymore), but it was the journey there that made her stop and breathe before she panicked.

Another thing that made her jumpy was the demonstration of her abilities. Sandaime had asked her to show what a summoner could do. She had confidence in her abilities, to be sure, but she couldn't help being nervous. It had been too long since she had summoned an aeon.

* * *

The wind blew through the trees and rustled the leaves; it was the only noise in Training Area #21; a small field. Yuna sighed as a passing cloud covered the sun. 'This is it. I can do this.'

Yuna had already demonstrated her abilities in white magic, healing and curing many patients at the hospital. She proved her ability with buffs, managing to boost a talented genin's abilities to the point where he defeated his jounin sensei in a spar. She hid the abilities her companions taught her long ago, not sure if she still had the skills to pull them off.

All that was left was the Summoning.

Yuna stood up and grasped Nirvana determinedly. She walked to the middle of the area and allowed the staff to hang limp for a moment as she concentrated. Something inside told her she would need it. Then, she danced. Sandaime and Naruto watched in awe as she moved round and round, finding familiar steps with every motion. She twirled her staff in her fingers, and felt energy ball in her belly. Suddenly it all came flooding back, and Yuna moved the power through her veins up to her staff, her focus. A pattern, Valefor's pattern, formed at her feet, and Yuna finished her dance with a flourish. The pattern moved and flashed, multi-colored lights doming around Yuna's body. Four lights shot up into the sky, and for a moment, all was quiet as everyone in the clearing looked up.

An animalistic cry echoed over Konoha, and a large creature descended from the heavens. She, for it was so obviously a girl, landed next to Yuna heavily, stumbling a bit as if she had not flown in a long time. "Valefor." Yuna breathed, and the great bird looked up. Immense joy lit up Valefor's eyes as she moved towards Yuna with a soft croon. Yuna hugged her and patted her beak softly, reminiscing all of sudden about battles fought long ago.

"Very impressive, Yuna." The Hokage said, staring at the bird with a critical eye. "Naruto will certainly have a difficult road ahead of him, if he is to learn this art and the art of the ninja." Valefor shot into the air and glided towards the blond. Naruto was absolutely speechless. His jaw was on the ground, and his face seemed to twitch every few seconds. Valefor landed much more gracefully next to him, then bent her head to look at her new Summoner. He seemed to come alive all of a sudden, and stumbled back. The five-year-old tripped over a root and fell on his butt, staring with wide eyes. Valefor leaned very close, and sniffed his hair lightly. Her breath tickled Naruto, and he giggled very quietly. Valefor stood up again and crowed. She liked what she'd found in the boy. He would make a worthy Summoner.

"Wh-What's it doing?" Naruto said, the first thing he'd said since Yuna had started dancing.

"**She** is saying she likes you. Her name is Valefor." Yuna said quietly. She was tired; the Summoning had taken all of her remaining energy. 'I'm out of shape. I'll need to train myself.'

"It's a she? How can you tell?" Valefor crowed again as Yuna blushed very slightly; Tidus had asked that very same question once. "Well…"

"It's the way she acts, Naruto. A male wouldn't have acted as she did." Yuna sighed in relief and nodded along with the Hokage's words. Valefor took the time to start grooming Naruto's hair with her beak.

"Like what she's doing now with my hair?" Naruto asked. It felt nice, even if the big bird tugged too hard.

"Yes, like what she's doing with your hair." Yuna sat down very slowly on the ground and set Nirvana across her knees. The Hokage nodded again. "What is this Valefor capable of?"

"Well, she isn't elementally aligned, so she can't be taken down by any one element…"

* * *

Well, that's it. Not worth the wait, I bet, but it felt like a good place to stop.

Writer's block. I hadz it. Now I don't, though I do have few ideas I'd like to pass around.

First idea, I was thinking about having Sasuke coming to live with Yuna and Naruto. Seeing as I am using a Yuna who has learned many of her companions' augments, I figured I would have him learn another of the groups' path. What do you guys think? Should I do it?

The others are but embryos, so I won't say them yet.

Oh, the young time of Naruto shall pass quickly. The Academy should start in a few chapters. Fun fun fun.

Reviews for the poor writer? They make me feel all happy, and attack my writer's block.

I'm off to research. Cha!


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